With My Words I Will Bless You

   With my Words I will Bless You

                   Hello and welcome to My Little House of Prayer. I am your host Dayla Smith. I am so glad that you could join me today. The Lord has been dealing with me about the power of my words. So much so that it has made me more quiet. More quick to listen instead of speak than the other way around. Did you know that our tongue decides the direction our lives will take? I have a few friends in Christ that have said that they don’t hear the voice of the Lord speak to them. They don’t understand why, or how to hear His voice. One of the things I’ve noticed that they all had in common was that you can’t talk and listen at the same time. We all have to learn to listen more and speak less. I guess this is one of the things in our lives John the Baptist meant by John 3:30-35  30 He must increase, but I must decrease.31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

             This reminds me of a song. It was more a prayer. “Let My Words Be Few.  So, let’s discuss the words of our mouth. Let’s ask ourselves this question. Is my life going in the direction I want it to? Proverbs 4:23-27  23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil. I’ve heard a pastor say that our feet usually follow our mouths.

                       Am I satisfied with my life as it is right now? Or, am I searching for more? As a Christian we should all desire more. And if you don’t have a blood-bought relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, you are searching for something to fill up that empty feeling inside you. There is only one who can fill that void feeling. Jesus Christ of Nazareth. 

                    The apostle James says in chapter 3:5-12   5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. 

              What great things are we boasting about today? Are we boasting of ourselves? Or, are we boasting of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth? 2 Corinthians 10:17-18   17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

 Ephesians 2:8-9  8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 

               So, how is your esteem level today? Do you have to blow your trumpet about yourself, telling others just how great you are? Do you have to put others down in order for you to feel better than them? Do you go into corporate intercessory prayer and bring out in finite detail another’s short-comings under the guise of “Let’s pray for poor so-and-so.” That’s not prayer! That’s gossip. Are you as guilty as I am? I sure am asking the Father to please forgive me. To help me choose my words carefully. Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Right here in the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, the word fear in Hebrew means to morally reverence. Are we exhibiting moral reverence towards Him?  Are we speaking with moral reverence towards the Lord? Remember, He is omnipresent. Thank the Lord for His forgiveness. You know, we do not have to walk our lives out in guilt and condemnation. That is not truly living. Walking in the unsurmountable forgiveness of the Lord Jesus Christ is truly living. He wants us to walk in His freedom. What is His freedom? His truth. John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

              So, how do we walk in His liberty? His freedom? Walk in His truth. Be quiet more. Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.                       That’s the whole point of our walk. To allow others to see Christ within us. There are a lot of Christians out there broadcasting that they are Christians, but there is no fruit to prove it. James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. People don’t want to know what you know. They want to know that you care. How can we show that we care? How can we show others this Jesus Christ who has been loving all of us? By listening more and talking less for one thing.

                          Matthew 15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.  So, it isn’t what goes in, but what comes out that condemns us. It’s funny how uneasy people can get when you are quiet. I am experiencing this even now. Picture this. Someone walking through the forest. They decide to camp for the night. They have a book of matches. They light one match. They use that lit match to light a piece of wood. Then they pile more wood to make the fire big enough to see, cook, and keep warm. They don’t watch over the campfire they have just lit. An ember floats off into the air and catches a leaf on fire. That leaf floats off to a dead tree and lights it on fire. Then, that tree lights the rest of the forest on fire. Then, this raging fire travels for miles until it dies out. 

                 Our tongue is like a match. How are we using our tongue today? What kind of fire are we trying to ignite? Are we igniting fires of righteousness and truth? Or, of fear, doubt, and unbelief?  Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Are we edifying one another? Are we choosing our words very carefully? Are we building each other up in our most holy faith? Or, are we putting them down? We are called to build each other up. I find it funny. This choice of word. Build each other up. The bible says in 1 Peter 2:5-9  5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; 

                  So, for a Christian, Christ is a perfect corner stone to build upon. No cracks or imperfections. Now, each of these rocks  has cracks and imperfections that salvation through Jesus Christ of Nazareth wants to and does smooth out in our walk with Him. But, if we choose to look at other stones' cracks and imperfections and point them out, then what we are really doing is shining a spotlight on our own cracks and imperfections. The foundation of Jesus Christ is sure. But, the wall can’t be sure because of the unrepented cracks and imperfections in each stone. We must come together by edifying each other. Shining a spotlight on the other stones strengths, not weaknesses. Then, we can build a sure wall.

              Even King David petitioned the Lord in Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. This has been my prayer lately. “Lord, please guard the words of my lips. Please help me to not have corrupt communication.” How do I cooperate with the Lord in avoiding corrupt communication? By watching my thought life. Remember, it’s not what comes in that defiles a man, but what comes out. Have you had trouble controlling your thought life? I know that for a while I really had trouble in this area. I still do have trouble. It’s a lot less now, because I went to the Lord about it. I cried out for help. And, He did. He gave me a scripture to dwell on. Philippians 4:8 Boy was sweet freedom sweet?! A corrupt thought will hit my mind. I immediately quote and ponder this scripture. The thought goes away. Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. This works in keeping negative thoughts from coming out of our mouths. I never thought about it this way. Have you?

                        In  Matthew 12:34-37  34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. In other words, even in our words we will reap what we sow. That is a very scarey thought. He will judge every idle word. What idle words have we been speaking? Idle in the webster dictionary means, not in use, useless, worthless. And in the Greek in the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance it means, inactive, unemployed, lazy, useless, barren, and slow. So, I ask you. Are these fruits we would want to eat of. Our words decide the direction our paths take. 

                        In 1 Peter 3:10 it says For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: What is guile? In the Webster Dictionary it means craftiness, or deceit. And in the Greek in the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance it means to decoy, trick, wile, craft, deceit, or subtilty. So, we are to keep our lips from speaking trickery, or craftiness. We are to avoid speech that would entrap someone. Our speech should be careful not to bring harm to another.

                          Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.. What kind of fruit do you like to eat? I like sweet, juicy, and healthy fruit. Picture two trees in a forest of trees. One tree is a granny smith apple tree. Then, the other tree in the forest is a buckthorn tree. Both fruits look like a type of apple. The granny smith is a desirable looking fruit. And it is edible. It has all kinds of health benefits. You can eat this fruit raw or even cooked. But, the buckthorn fruit looks tasty and desirable. Even though it looks good to eat, it is not. It is a deadly fruit. 

                     Each of us is created in the image and likeness of God. We have an outward appeal. And, in a crowd of people there are many apple trees and buckthorn trees. We look wonderful on the outside. But, what comes out of our mouths reveals what is truly on the inside. Are we trees people want to eat from. According to Proverbs 18:21 our words are fruit. And not only do others eat of our fruit. We will also. I want word of life coming out of my mouth. Life and healing. 

                      How do we obtain words of life and healing? Through a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Through reading the bible front to back and applying it to our lives. Through prayer. Through fasting. These are wonderful avenues to obtain words of life and healing. To learn to listen more and speak less. Matthew 5:44-45

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. I am hoping my words are a blessing to you today.               

                 If you do not know the Lord Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. Let me introduce you to Him. It is real simple. First you must acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of a savior according to the mirror of the law of the Lord. Ask Him for His forgiveness for all of your sins and call them out to Him. Thank Him for His forgiveness. Then, forgive those who have sinned or transgressed against you. Then, repent. Repent means to change your mind concerning sinful habits. Change your choice making. Let Him influence your choice making decisions as you get in His Holy Word. Ask Him to be Lord over your life. I want to pray this prayer with you. But, this is just an outline. The real work begins after I pray with you because it is a very personal walk with the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth. 

                    Lord Jesus, I confess my sins and ask for your forgiveness. Please come into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Take complete control of my life and help me to walk in Your footsteps daily by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord for saving me and for answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

                         I am hoping this message today has given all of you food for thought. It has done that for me. Let’s choose our words carefully. Let’s listen more and talk less. Let’s let our words be few. Let’s show forth the perfect fruit of the Lord in our words. Let’s lift up instead of putting down. May the Lord richly bless you today. Jesus loves you and so do I. Join me next week at My Little House of Prayer.

Is Our Minds Right

 Is Our Minds Right

                   Hello and welcome to My Little House of Prayer. I am your host Dayla Smith. I am so very glad that you could join me today.  So far we have discussed Ephesians 6: 10-15 and 18. I hope that we are learning a lot in these discussions. I would greatly appreciate your input. Especially any questions you would have.In Verses 10-11, discussed how vitally important our need is for the full armor of God. That when we join this Christian walk, we are in a battle that belongs to the Lord. Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. In verse 12, we learned what and where the battle lies. That we need a personal relationship with the Lord  Jesus Christ of Nazareth. We need to know to whom we are and to whom we belong. 2 Chronicles 20:15-17  15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.Then, in verse 13, we learned about our need to endure to the end. That we are to totally trust in Him who is able to save to the utmost. That after we have done all we know to do, we are to put our trust in Him. Exodus 14:13-14  13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

Matthew 24:1-15 24 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) This sounds a lot like what is going on in the world today, doesn’t it? Because of a question that was asked, we jumped to verse 18 and learned about leading a prayerful life in verse 18 of chapter 6 in Ephesians, our desperate need to read the word of God on a daily basis and how to read it. Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God., and our need for living a fasted lifestyle and how, according to Isaiah 58. Then, we discussed verse 14. How we are to have on the belt of righteousness and our loins girt about with truth. John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12  9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

 Proverbs 4 :23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil. 

 Jeremiah 17:9-10  9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?10 I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. And in verse 15 of chapter 6, And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Our feet in scripture speaks of our Christian walk. We either have one or we don’t. There is no middle ground.  Our lives are our epitaph. Our eulogy. Our last will and testament. When Jesus walked the earth He never proclaimed who He was. He let His life speak for itself. And, it did.

Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. To show us by example that we could follow God’s laws. And, He came to fulfill all prophecies concerning Him.When something is important to you, you stress the importance of it through repetition. I believe what Jesus was really saying right here is ,”Peter if you love me? Feed my lambs and sheep. Take care of those I’m leaving behind. If you love me, show me. Show me by taking care of those that I am leaving behind. By sharing the Gospel. The Gospel of peace.  The Lord has given us a gospel of peace. So, we are to put on the shoes, put on our walk; of the preparation ,be prepared; of the Gospel of peace; to pass the baton of Jesus Christ of Nazareth’s peace Then we discussed Ephesians 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  

That this crucified walk is paved in faith. That faith requires action. That faith will and is tested. That the proof is in the pudding. We believe or we don’t. And, our shield of faith is the evidence of our complete trust in Him. Hebrews 11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

                     Now, we are discussing Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. We are to put on the helmet of salvation. Why? Because the battlefield is in the mind. If the enemy can draw our attention off of the Lord, he has us in his crosshairs. There are so many scriptures about keeping our focus on the Lord and how it affects our walk with Him. Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed upon thee: becasue he trusteth in thee. 

 Luke 12:29-32  29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 

Philippians 2:5-9  5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.These are just a few. 

                I have just gone through something that most people would have lost their minds over. How did I keep my sanity? Keeping my mind on the Lord Jesus Christ. Crying and pleading for His help. It is o.k. To break down under the Lord’s headship. He will keep you from falling apart. My first pastor taught me how to not lose my mind. The Lord used him and his beautiful wife to equip and teach me how to walk with the Lord. How to know that I know when it is Him speaking to me. This only happens by reading your bible to be a doer and not hearer only of His word. Matthew 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

                          At the beginning of my walk with the Lord. I had a situation where my heart was involved. And, fell apart. There is a difference between being broken and falling apart. When you are broken you are looking for the only one who can redeem your situation. When you are falling apart, you are allowing your carnal emotions to redeem your situation. There is only one who can redeem all things. Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Anyway, I was broken but falling apart. My pastor walks in and asks, “What’s wrong.” Well, I couldn’t even speak. My words were being shut off. That is when he yelled in authority over my situation. “Shut up!” I did it in shock. “Pray in your prayer language. I stumbled for a minute over getting it out, but as I focused on praying in my prayer language (the gift of tongues with the baptism of the Holy Ghost) my prayer language began to flow. I regained my right mind. This is one way to get your mind on the Lord. Jude 20-25  20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. I regained my mind and was able to speak and tell him what caused me to fall apart. But more than that, I thank the Lord for the experience to learn of His saving grace once again. I also thanked my pastor for listening to the guidance of the Lord to help me. He is faithful to keep you from losing your sanity. 

                        I think of this passage when I look at this scripture on the helmet of salvation. Salvation comes from the Lord Jesus Christ. We must put our minds under His divine headship.  Matthew 14:22-33  22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. What did Jesus do? He got away to pray. He didn’t let circumstances and situations arise and then pray. He got alone every chance he could to pray. To seek the Father’s face. That is why He wasn’t surprised. And not only wasn’t He surprised, He walked upon it boldly with the authority the Father had given Him. He has given all of us that same authority to walk in. But we have to get alone as often as we can to pray. If you are looking for a time to pray, Satan will never afford you that. You have to make time and take time to pray. 

                         The wind and waves allowed fear to grip the apostle's heart. Their eyes were not on the Lord. Their mind was not under the headship of the Lord. Therefore, He could not keep them in perfect peace. Then, like a child, Peter cries out, “If it is you Lord, bid me to come walk with you.” Did the Lord condemn him for this? No. He gently and lovingly, with open arms replied to him like we would to a child who is first learning to walk. “Come.” And Peter did. He walked on the water as long as his eyes were upon Him. When the enemy distracted him by the waves, that is when fear was allowed to come in and try to drown him. Do you feel like you are drowning in your circumstances and situations? Put your eyes back on the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Keep your thoughts on Him and what He has done for you so far. When Peter began to drown, he reached and called out for the only one who could pull him up and out of it. “Jesus save me!” He put on the helmet of salvation.

                        The Lord also said to take up the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Now, I find it very interesting that my Word search always came back to our tongue and how to control it. James 3:5-12  5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Matthew 12:34-40  34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

                  The Lord has given us something to speak. His Word and the gift of tongues with the baptism of the Holy Ghost. As we read and think on the Word of God in our bible, we are allowing it to take root in us and be our constant profession of faith. 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: What is your profession of faith. 

              I had an experience early in my walk. I was talking with a friend. She asked me about someone. The Holy Ghost got a hold of my tongue and wouldn’t let me speak in my English. I tried 3 times to answer her. But, only tongues would come out. Keep in mind at that time I was fasting and praying. I also chose to allow the Word of God to be my food. So, the Holy Spirit was allowed to take control of my tongue. Psalm 141:3 Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. By the third time, we both began to laugh and accepted the fact that we were not to talk about this subject. The Lord wants to take our tongues and make them a flaming sword of His Word. Where we follow the example of His Son and only the Word of the Lord will spew out of our mouths. Where we speak life. Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. 

Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Galatians 5:22-25  22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

                 Are you enjoying the fruits of your lips today? Get in the fight. Put on and apply the full armor the Lord has given each and everyone of us. Focus on the Lord and His life saving arm. When we address one another, think on your words and let’s ask ourselves if it is edifying. Will our words help or harm? Is our words words of faith or doubt and unbelief? Remember that facts change, but His Truth will stand forever. Psalm 100:5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

                 If you do not know the Lord Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. Let me introduce you to Him. It is real simple. First you must acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of a savior. Acknowledger all of your sins. Ask Him for His forgiveness for all of your sins and call them out to Him. Thank Him for His forgiveness. Then, forgive those who have sinned or transgressed against you. Then, repent. Repent means to change your mind concerning sinful habits. Change your choice making. Let Him influence your choice making decisions as you get in His Holy Word. Ask Him to be Lord over your life. I want to pray this prayer with you. But, this is just another outline. The real work begins after I pray with you. 

                    Lord Jesus, I confess my sins and ask for your forgiveness. Please come into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Take complete control of my life and help me to walk in Your footsteps daily by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord for saving me and for answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

                              Next week we will start a series on the Our Father Prayer. Breaking it down verse by verse. Thank you so much for joining me today at My Little House of Prayer. I am so glad that you could join me today. See you next week. Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise. 

A Spiritual Earthquake

 A Spiritual Earthquake This weekend I had an experience that has shaken me up. You could say that I have experienced a spiritual earthquake. A lot of food for thought. My heart is broken. But, my Father has seen fit that at this time I should have fellowship with His suffering. Am I truly my brother’s keeper? If we are our brother’s keeper, we will stand for truth no matter the cost. He has ignited a fire for the lost. The grief of it has hit my heart with such intensity. The grief He feels as we both hear “Tick. Tick. Tick.” People, things are winding up real quick. This world is swallowing up lost souls at an alarming rate, while our senses are being dulled by the atrocities. What happened to the gospel. What happened to the street criers, “Repent! For the Kingdom of God is at hand!” I hate to say this, but even so - called - Christians have made fun of them. Where are the street ministries? The holy - rollers? What has happened to the fire of the Holy Ghost in the preaching in preachers today? The Lord has taken my personal situation and driven me in the direction of evangelism. My tears are not just for the immediate lost in my home, but for the lost souls of this world making choices that no one in their right mind would make. I just watched a movie on you tube. The Power of the Air. Let me say this. It is powerful. It will stir you up. The missionary in the movie was concerned that the Church of America was in grave danger. He wrote a book and in this book he wrote this challenge. For one week, turn off all media and forms of technology. Don’t read the newspaper or books. Just read your bible, go to church and pray. Then, after a week, go back to life as normal except for one week don’t pray or go to church, Don’t read your bible or listen to anything to do with the gospel. Then, after that week, ask yourself which one was harder to do. I don’t want to just be pew warmer. I want my life to impact people. Impact them to shout of their love for the Lord from the rooftops. How do I want them to shout from the rooftops? By declaring to everyone and anyone the great things the Lord is doing for your life. How He has changed your life and that He can and wants to do it for everyone else that will listen to take up the baton of faith. He also dropped this statement a month or two ago. That nowhere in the gospel does it say that if you pray the prayer of salvation you will be saved. It does say that if you call upon the name of the Lord you will be saved. Saved from what? Eternal separation from the one who created you. The prayer of salvation is just a prayer of faith. The real salvation prayer is when sinner acknowledges that he is a sinner in desperate need of a savior. He/she becomes truly broken over their sin. So broken to the point that he truly repents of it. Changes his perception of it and his choice making decisions concerning them. He starts truly reading his bible to learn how to be what the Lord has truly called him/ her to be. That he/she pursues a life of prayer and fasting to hear His still small voice. To walk in the fear and admonition of the Lord. This is true salvation. So, if you are tuning in right now. You are convicted in some way by this as I am, please pray with me. Lord, forgive me for being lackadaisical in my walk with you. I truly repent before you. I want to walk circumspectly before you. I want to be what you have truly called me to be. A blood bought saint of God. I truly want to dedicate my life to you. I want you to be Lord and Savior over all of my life. You said if I truly repented of my sin, turned from my wicked ways, prayed and sought your face; you would hear from heaven and forgive all of my sin, transgression, and iniquity. You would forgive my generational curses to the third and fourth generation. And, I would walk in your blessings all the days of my life. I know this walk is called the crucified way. Because I have to put my fleshly desires away and walk in godliness and holiness. I commit to you this day, Lord. I can only do this in your strength, Lord. I thank you for saving me and redeeming me. I now take this time to call out all of my sins to you, so that you and I can pass your judgment over them. So, that everything is under your precious blood, Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth. I forgive those who have hurt or sinned against me. Forgive them Lord. They know not what they do. I pray for their salvation also, Lord God. In Jesus Christ of Nazareth’s mighty Name, Amen.

We Must Walk in Faith

 

 We Must Walk in the Faith

                   Hello and welcome to My Little House of Prayer. I am your host Dayla Smith. I am so glad that you could join me today. First, I want to thank all of you for your patience this past week. Mom and baby are doing great. I never knew just how blessed I was going to be. But, I am over the moon blessed. My daughter said I could introduce you to Him. My little Avery.

                So far we have discussed Ephesians 6: 10-15 and 18. I hope that we are learning a lot in these discussions. I would greatly appreciate your input. Especially any questions you would have.In Verses 10-11, discussed how vitally important our need is for the full armor of God. That when we join this Christian walk, we are in a battle that belongs to the Lord. Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. In verse 12, we learned what and where the battle lies. That we need a personal relationship with the Lord  Jesus Christ of Nazareth. We need to know to whom we are and to whom we belong. 2 Chronicles 20:15-17  15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.Then, in verse 13, we learned about our need to endure to the end. That we are to totally trust in Him who is able to save to the utmost. That after we have done all we know to do, we are to put our trust in Him. Exodus 14:13-14  13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

Matthew 24:1-15 24 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) This sounds a lot like what is going on in the world today, doesn’t it? Because of a question that was asked, we jumped to verse 18 and learned about leading a prayerful life in verse 18 of chapter 6 in Ephesians, our desperate need to read the word of God on a daily basis and how to read it. Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God., and our need for living a fasted lifestyle and how, according to Isaiah 58. Then, we discussed verse 14. How we are to have on the belt of righteousness and our loins girt about with truth. John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12  9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

 Proverbs 4 :23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil. 

 Jeremiah 17:9-10  9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?10 I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. And in verse 15 of chapter 6, And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Our feet in scripture speaks of our Christian walk. We either have one or we don’t. There is no middle ground.  Our lives are our epitaph. Our eulogy. Our last will and testament. When Jesus walked the earth He never proclaimed who He was. He let His life speak for itself. And, it did.

Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. To show us by example that we could follow God’s laws. And, He came to fulfill all prophecies concerning Him.When something is important to you, you stress the importance of it through repetition. I believe what Jesus was really saying right here is ,”Peter if you love me? Feed my lambs and sheep. Take care of those I’m leaving behind. If you love me, show me. Show me by taking care of those that I am leaving behind. By sharing the Gospel. The Gospel of peace.  The Lord has given us a gospel of peace. So, we are to put on the shoes, put on our walk; of the preparation ,be prepared; of the Gospel of peace; to pass the baton of Jesus Christ of Nazareth’s peace.

                           Now, today we are discussing Ephesians 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  

                      I want to give you a mental picture. When Roman soldier’s would go into battle, they would use their shields to form a wall. When they went to reload their weapons, they would kneel down raising their shield over them to protect them. This is how we take up our shield of faith. We kneel down and raise it up. How do we raise it up? Faith. Hebrews 11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The scripture says, “above all taking the shield of faith.” So, the first thing we should reach for is our shield of faith. It takes faith to believe in God. Especially for the impossible. 

1 John 5:14-15  14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

Jeremiah 32:18 Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name,

               In Luke 18:8 Jesus asks, “8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? In Hebrews 10:38 it says, “ Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. This walk is a walk of complete faith. Faith is not a cake walk. It will and is constantly under attack. That is why the Lord called it a shield. A shield of protection. The fiery darts are fear, doubt, and unbelief. I have a great example of this kind of faith under attack.

                     Since the beginning of my Christian walk, I have been blessed with crazy faith that is always under attack. And each and every time, the Lord vindicates me. I am a praying woman. With my ears always inclined to His voice. It is as small as a whisper, yet very distinctive. I love His voice. I am so honored that a holy, righteous, living God and creator would ever want anything to do with me, much less speak with me. And yet, because of His name, He does. 

                 Anywho, the latest started out as a dream about 8 yrs ago. I was in a house that was under construction. I woke up thinking it was about my spiritual walk that was under construction. But, in the dream I was designating what went where. I stopped at one point in the dream and said, “Wait a minute! I ain’t got no money to build no house!” hahahahahha And I awoke thinking the Lord was talking about my spiritual walk. 3 John 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. So, two to three years later, I am homeless. A sister in Christ gave me a place to live until I found me a place to live. Well, that was in January of 2017. In September, of 2018, I was able to purchase a piece of property. And in October of 2018, I was able to purchase my rent to own home and put it on my property, designating what went where in the shell of my home. It was delivered December 4th of 2018. When I walked inside, the Lord whispered to me, “Take note. I Am going to finish your house.” Can I tell you the people that thought that I was one who flew off the cuckoo's nest. The people that spoke against it. I felt like Noah when he was building the ark. “Rai what? What is rain? Flood? How?” “Dayla you put everything on  God. God isn’t going to magically build your house. It takes money to finish your house. You don’t have that. It will never happen.” Well as of March, My house was finished literally by the hand of the Lord. How awesome is that? It took the shield of faith to believe God for the impossible. Only God could finish my home for me to live in. The Lord gave me two scriptures to stand on. You see, when the Lord speaks something to your heart, He will give you scriptures to line up with the vision. And, it will always line up with His Word. Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. 

Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

The two scriptures the Lord gave me where: 2 Chronicles 16:9 and Zechariah 4:6-His words never hit the ground.

                          You see, the fiery darts of the enemy can come from within and well as without. They come in the form of fear, doubt, and unbelief. I take everything to the Lord. Because if I am on the wrong track, He is faithful to put me on the right track. He is faithful to do this for all of His children who are walking in the faith. The worst sin is the sin of no faith. Faith requires action. If you believe in Him and His Word, you must walk your belief in His word. James 1:23-25  23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

                            How do we quench all the fiery darts of the enmy? By lifting up our shield of faith in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Bowing our knee in prayer, drawing strength from the name of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Zechariah 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

                             Jesus asks this question in Luke 18:8-14  8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

                          I believe this passage is self explanatory. When I hear these scriptures, I think of these scriptures. 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

          The Lord had been speaking to me through my pastor. Four or Five years back, the Lord started speaking through my pastor. I would go to him about wanting to teach on prayer. He immediately said, “Try holding a bible study first. Let’s see how that goes.” A minister visited my house, and as she was leaving the Lord spoke to her for me to make a sign. He called my house A Little House of Prayer. Keep in mind, the home I was living in before I left it, was filled with prayer. To the point people would walk in and could tell that I had been there. Their words, “The walls are permeated with her prayer. She is no baby whoever she is.” This ignited a fire in me. I hope that everywhere I go, my prayers permeate the walls. In February, the Lord had me stencil a scripture on my front steps. James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. As of January, My Little House of Prayer Ministry was born. I am left in awe at the goodness and faithfulness of God. It is such a blessing to serve Him. To be His daughter, friend, and servant. I thank God for allowing me to communicate with Him. For being accepted  by Him. And, for being allowed to apart of His wonderful plan. 

                  Let me ask you. Would you like to be in a relationship with the living God? The Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth? You have to be  born again. How do you become a born again Christian? By examining your life according to the law and recognizing that even your best is nothing but filthy rags before Him. Because when you break one commandment, you’ve broken them all. That is when you realize that who can attain it? You are defeated before you even start out the gate. But, there is only one way to become redeemed and victorious. The sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

                         If you do not know the Lord Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. Let me introduce you to Him. It is real simple. First you must acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of a savior according to the law of God. Ask Him for His forgiveness for all of your sins and call each and every one of them out to Him. Thank Him for His forgiveness. Then, forgive those who have sinned or transgressed against you. Then, repent. Repent means to change your mind concerning sinful habits. Change your choice making. Let Him influence your choice making decisions as you get in His Holy Word. Ask Him to be Lord over your life. I want to pray this prayer with you. But, this is just another outline. The real work begins after I pray with you. 

                    Lord Jesus, I confess my sins and ask for your forgiveness. Please come into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Take complete control of my life and help me to walk in Your footsteps daily by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord for saving me and for answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

                         This is the beginning of becoming a doer of the Word and not a hearer only. This is how you take up your shield of faith to quench all the fiery darts of the enemy. Let me encourage you. The fight is on now! “I thought you were going to encourage me.” You’re probably thinking. I am. The fight is now on because you are a threat to the enemy’s kingdom. And you are going to have to choose wisely whom you will serve for the rest of your crucified walk. But, I can tell you this from experience; you never give up something without Him giving you back something far greater. An eternity with Him. Daily blessings. But most importantly, a divine relationship. I am hoping today’s message blesses you. I will see you next week.